In the first of Stage Series we present "Heart of Darkness"by Joseph Conrad. This riveting psychological drama tracks Mr. Marlow's perilous journey into the African Congo in search of Mr. Kurtz, who is missing in the interior and is believed to have gone mad. Originally broadcast 1951.Starring: Lorne Greene, John Colicos, Jane Mallett

Reuben Ship wrote the play after his deportation from the United States. He was living in California, where he wrote for radio, and was summoned to appear before the Un-American Activities Committee because of his one-time membership of the Communist Party.
He refused to name names and was deported. In this entertaining parody of the 1950s McCarthy Hearings, The Investigator wakes up in a fog after a plane crash and learns that none of the passengers survived, including himself.
He finds himself at the Pearly Gates and seeks entry, but first he must be investigated and accepted by a board of admissions, consisting of historical figures. The Investigator declares the chairman unfit and turns the tables on the board of admissions and the chairman.

In its day "The Investigator" was such a controversial radio play that it caused a stir in both the Canadian Parliament and the U.S. Senate, due to the nature of the play's subject. Reuben Ship wrote the play after his deportation from the United States. He was living in California, where he wrote for radio, and was summoned to appear before the Un-American Activities Committee because of his one-time membership of the Communist Party. He refused to name names and was deported.